Things I learned from my accident

This morning I got into a minor rear-end accident. I’m OK, my car is OK, the other driver is OK, her car is OK. But, looking back at the incident, there were some things, post accident that I would do differently.

  • Verify the phone number. I just took the phone number for granted. Now, I have a phone number that calls a disconnected line. I have no way to get in contact with the person I hit.
  • Write down driver’s license info. I didn’t do this, but at least I could verify the name and address of the person.
  • Write down the car’s VIN number. These are usually visible through the windshield glass, but I didn’t do it.
  • Be patient and wait for insurance information. She didn’t have the info with her, so she said she’d call me later. Now that I have a phone number that doesn’t work, I’m out of luck.
  • Have a camera. Ever since I lost my small digital back in January, I don’t have an “everyday” camera with me. I could have used it today to take pictures of where it happened and also of the damage.

Other than the above, I’m OK. I’ve filed a claim with my insurance, but I am not tapping into insurance for my part of the claim. But, I wanted to have my story on record so that if something comes up later (think statute of limitations), I’ll be able to recall what happened. Looking back on it now, I hope that I’m not going to get scammed. It looks all too good for a setup, so I’ll have a skeptical eye on this.